Dane accused of storing genitalia arrested in Lesotho before

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The Danish man accused of storing female genitalia in his freezer in South Africa, was arrested in neighboring Lesotho earlier this year, police said on Wednesday.

The man was arrested on June 18 for assault, after his wife laid the charges, Senior Inspector Clifford Molefe, spokesman for the Lesotho police, said.

The Danish man was released on the same day because he fell ill, said Molefe. He is yet to appear in a Lesotho court.

The man owns a gun shop in Lesotho and regularly travels between Lesotho and South Africa, said Molefe. He also owns a gun shop in the city of Bloemfontein in the central Free State province, reported Volksblad, a local Afrikaans language newspaper.

South African police arrested the 63-year-old last Thursday after they found 21 pieces of female genitalia in his freezer at his home in Bloemfontein. He has been charged with sexual assault and remains in custody until his court appearance on Monday.

Police have accused the man of keeping the genitalia as trophies. One of the specimens found was labelled with a woman's name, the country Lesotho, and the year 2010, a police spokeswoman said.

It is not known if the body parts are from 21 different women. It is also not known how the man committed the assaults or if the victims are dead or alive. Police have asked women assaulted by the man to come forward.

The Associated Press has not named the man because under South African law he should not be identified until he enters a plea.